After first appearing in 2008's Batman film "The Dark Knight," Aughtry returned to movie theaters this year with a larger role in Marvel's "Black Panther."
Though he now lives in Atlanta, Aughtry spent most of his early years in Goldsboro, where he laid the foundations for his journey to the big screen.
Aughtry was born in Washington, D.C., in 1979. His family moved to Goldsboro when he was 3 years old, and he went to school in the city, eventually ending up at Goldsboro High School.
There Aughtry played football for Coach Elvin James from 1993 to '97. He was the starting middle linebacker, starting left offensive guard and team captain on the '94 and '95 Mideast Conference Championship teams. He also played trumpet in the school band.
James called Aughtry humble and soft spoken, but said that when it came time to get things done, he got to work.
"When it was time for business, he was always businesslike, whether on the football field or in the classroom or in the band," James said. "If you had a son, you want your son to grow up like Stanley Aughtry."